The term “nervous system injury” refers to any injury of the nervous tissue and can be caused by fracture or penetration of the skull or vertebra (such as in the case of a vehicle accident, fall or gunshot wound resulting in damage to the brain or spinal cord), a disease process (neurotoxins, infections, tumors, metabolic abnormalities, genetic abnormalities, degenerative nerve diseases, etc.), a closed head injury such as rapid acceleration or deceleration of the head (i.e. Shaken Baby Syndrome) causing injury to the brain, or an injury or disease affecting the peripheral nerves. Such injuries can have devastating lifelong effects on physical and mental functioning.